The Raven Girl

The Raven Girl - chapter 36

Dante clung to me as we stepped on to the floating bed and breakfast. I found it hard not to smile at Dante’s vulnerable side, it was kind of sweet to know that Mr Tough vampire had a weakness. The old woman ushered us into a little sitting room and pointed a large floral sofa to sit on. Dante and I made ourselves comfortable or rather I did. Dante just sat very stiffly on the other side of the sofa cringing at every creak and groan the ship made. For some strange and inexplicable reason I felt the urge to reach out and slip my hand into his and help melt away some of the anxiety. My hand began to move towards his and the old woman yelled,

“There will be no fornication in this house!” Her eyes were narrowed on my hand which I quickly with drew and looked away.

“Pardon.” Dante snapped.

“You maybe a vampire Prince but this is my ship and aboard my ship there will be no funny business!” The old woman barked.

“I will not be ordered about by a common hag!” Dante decreed.

“You’ll listen to what I say spoilt brat or I’ll through you over abroad.” She snapped.

Dante fell silently very quickly.

I raised my hand feeling like a little kid in class, “Um excuse me but how do you know that Dante is a vampire?”

The old woman eyed Dante up and down and gestured to all of him, “Isn’t it obvious? He has that daft way about him.” she said.

Dante jumped up offended but then immediately sat back down the moment the boat rolled over a gentle wave. Composing himself he said, “I demand to know who you are and how you came to live in the mortal realms!”

“My name is Morag and I am the ward of the beast.” The old woman said.

“The beast?” I echoed.

“Ay, the beast.” Morag said.

“What beast.”

“The beast, lass. The beast. How many cursed beasts do you know of lass that dwell in this loch? There is only one beast of the loch.”

“Are you talking about the Loch Ness Monster?” I asked gingerly.

“It has many names and that is one of them.” Morag replied.

“Um great, do you think I can have a chat with the beast?” I asked Morag.

“You want to talk to the beast tonight?” Morag said raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, if that’s not too much trouble.”

“It will be a lot of trouble miss, the beast is at the bottom of the Loch.”

“What’s it doing at the bottom of the Loch.”

“Hiding.” Morage replied flatly.

I blinked, “What?!? Um…I mean why is it hiding?”

“I don’t know, it won’t come up and tell me why.”

My head was beginning to pound, our conversation seemed to be going in circles. Morag waved a dismissive hand.

“You won’t be talking to the beast tonight. You best be sleeping til morning then take a boat out and see if you can persuade the beast to come up.”

“How are we going to persuade the beast to come up?” I asked.

“The beast will come up for a raven.”

“Really?”

“Ay, some say the ravens existed before the mountains and the forests ever did. The beast likes to talk to kindred spirits. The beast however does not like vampires. So you’ll have to go alone.” Morag said.